SoVote

Context: House Hansard - 339 - Sep/19/24

Hon. Steven Guilbeault (Minister of Environment and Climate Change, Lib.)

Sep/19/24 2:40:59 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, setting aside the fact that both the Parliamentary Budget Officer and 300 economists have said that eight out of 10 Canadians get more money than they pay in carbon pricing, we have a report today from the independent organization, the Climate Institute, which shows that emissions were down again in Canada in 2023. The report also shows that, without our plan, emissions would be 41% higher. The Conservative Party of Canada has a non-plan. It would be the equivalent, in terms of pollution, of an added 60 million vehicles on our road. That is what we are talking about here.

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Context: House Hansard - 339 - Sep/19/24

Hon. Jonathan Wilkinson (Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, Lib.)

Sep/19/24 3:17:11 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the Canada greener homes program is very important for improving building efficiency and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Many people have already received money from the federal government. However, if there are problems in my colleague's riding, I will be happy to discuss it with him to try to find a solution.

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Context: House Hansard - 339 - Sep/19/24

Mr. Adam van Koeverden (Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Environment and Climate Change and to the Minister of Sport and Physical Activity, Lib.)

Sep/19/24 6:47:18 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, we have been here before and we have talked about this before, with the member opposite and with many other members. The last I checked, Kelowna—Lake Country, a beautiful place, is in British Columbia. There is no federal price on pollution in British Columbia. In fact, it was a Liberal government in British Columbia that brought forward Canada's first carbon pricing system. It has been in effect for over a decade and it has been drastically reducing the emissions of British Columbia since then. For the first time since the 1990s, Canada has our emissions under check. Just recently, yesterday in fact, the Canadian Climate Institute said that, once again, in 2023, Canada's emissions had fallen. In addition to that, they said that one of the chief reasons for that was because of carbon pricing. Whether it is on the industrial side or the consumer price, carbon pricing works. I do not have a Nobel Prize, and last time I checked, there were no Nobel Prize winners in this House of Commons, but one person has, in fact, won a Nobel Prize for carbon pricing. He has said that Canada's carbon pricing system gets it right. The Conservatives have been using these lines about what is up. Instead of talking about what is up right now, I would like to talk about what is down. Currently, inflation is down to the target range of 2%. Canadians are still having a difficult time financially, no mistake about that. However, when inflation comes down, that means prices are on their way down as well. With that 2% inflation rate, which is right in line with the Bank of Canada's goals, we also have seen that interest rates are down. With inflation coming down, one of the chief causes of that is lower gas prices. Gas prices have hit lows that we have not seen since around the pandemic when they fell because people were not driving as much. If, as the Conservatives say, carbon pricing is causing inflation, the price on pollution in Canada has gone up every year for the last four years and over the last four years, our inflation has steadily come down. Either the Conservatives cannot do math, or they think Canadians are so stupid that they cannot do math, or both. I actually would not put it past them that they might just be willing to treat Canadians with no respect and will keep using these tired tag lines instead of putting forth some actual policies that would grow our economy and reduce our emissions. Gratefully, we are doing just that. We are following the lead of British Columbia. My colleague from Manitoba loves to heckle me, he does it all the time and it does not impact me whatsoever. Again, they are not very good arguments that he puts forward. We have made it very clear, Canadians get more money back through the price on pollution, the Canada carbon rebate, than they pay. That is true and has been clearly stated by the PBO, by 300 economists across this country, and the Parliamentary Budget Officer. That means that low- and medium-income households benefit the most. I know I am talking to a Conservative right now, and they do not typically care too much about low- and medium-income households, usually just focusing on corporations, millionaires and which oil and gas CEO is asking them to do one thing or another. However, we did just finish a debate on a guaranteed livable income, and things like this, the Canada carbon rebate, the Canada child benefit and the GIS mean more money in Canadians' pockets and that actually helps Canadians. What does not help Canadians is tired three-word slogans from the Conservative Party of Canada.

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Context: House Hansard - 339 - Sep/19/24

Mr. Adam van Koeverden

Sep/19/24 6:52:11 p.m.
Watch

Madam Speaker, it is a shame that the Conservatives keep using the words of the food banks completely out of context. When the food banks propose these things, they also make recommendations. None of the recommendations is to use any of the tired three-word slogans or eliminate a program which is actually supporting low- and medium-income housing. The Conservatives also like to completely ignore the fact that climate change impacts poorer folks more drastically. I want to say again, Kelowna—Lake Country is in British Columbia, which does not have a federal carbon price. If the member wants it eliminated, then she needs to talk to the Premier of British Columbia. They are working on lots and lots of different environmental protection projects out there, and I would encourage them to do that. As I said, inflation is down, interest rates are down, gas prices are down and so are emissions. That is thanks to our sound economic policies, not thanks to tired three-word slogans.

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